The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-08-19


all the out door grapes grown in this
part Of America. The Concord, with
its woolly lined leaf, is the best known
representative of the first type, and the
Clinton, with leaf Of paler shade OF
green, and smooth beneath, is the pro-
duct of the second type.
The foreign varieties we know are
all classed as vitis vinifera and have
leaves deeply lobed. Black Hamburg,
Muscat, Chasselas, &C., grown here un-
der glass, and in open air in California,
belong to this class.
Some men have spent their lives in
the production of new varieties, crosses
of these three and some others to less
extent. The foreign variety is not
hardy here and will not produce fruit
except under glass and all the hybrids
partake of some of this weakness of the
foreign parent. The aim has been to
combine the size and quality of the
exotic, with vigor and hardness Of vine
and foliage of the native. The names
of Arnold and Rogers have been
coupled with many newer varieties of
grapes and Jas. H. Ricketts, of New
York has for several years past made
the business a speciality and produced
some very beautiful, some very luscious
and some very large grapes but only a
few of them have the added requisite Of
hardness, to withstand winters frost
and summers sun in all ordinary local.
tiles. Many will thrive and ripen their
fruit in favored localities, but when ex.
posed to our chilling autumn winds the
leaves curl up and drop before the fruit is
ripe. Our Catawba, one Of the best and
Oldest sorts, has this failing when grown
here. About some Of our lakes, they
have more favorable atmosphere for it,
and it will ripen perfectly in open vine.
yard. The same is true to greater
degree with that excellent small grape,
the Delaware. Both can be ripened on
buildings or terraced hill sides, protect.
ed from the north and west winds.
Our peninsula is becoming noted for its
grapes for this reason. Large bodies of
water regulate the temperature and the
humidity of the atmosphere. The lat
ter consideration has much to do with
the health Of foliage, that can Withstand
the heat if moisture is not lacking.
Last season my vines of these sorts,
Catawba, Vergennes, Prentiss, Brigh,
ton, &C., lost nearly all their leaves
where growing out exposed to the
breezes. The Prentiss suffered less
than the other three, having more of
the Clinton blood in its composition.
Catawba growing on the east of barn
suffered none from this cause. The
Martha, Pocklington and Niagara show
SO much of the fox grape in their leaves
they are but slightly affected. Clinton
and its seedlings Bacchus, Berckmans
ani some others are not affected at all,
and continue to grow until frost. Ouch.
ess has also very strong growth. Del
aware I cannot induce to grow at all
and only hope Berckmans will take
its place, which is cross of it with
Clinton. The only inference we can
draw from these observations, and ex-
periments of others, is. that for US,
who are favored to live on the high and
dry hills, not to pay high prices for
new grapes until we are assured of their
pedigree. They may look very nice
when carried about in glass cases, or
preserved in alchohol in glass jars
that magnify them greatly but we
may never grow fruit from them unless
it be under glass also.
The humbug of "winter grapes" has
also been pretty we'll tested by many to
their own satisfaction. Catawba is the
latest to ripen and can be kept with care.
Clinton also may be preserved for flu.
ture use fresh, or is most excellent to
cook.
Let every farmer in this country try
the plan of using part of his barn or
wagon house, (or hog pen even if he
has large one) as grape trellis and
see if he will ever regret it. Town folks
grow them thus of necessity, why do
not farmers take the hint? Move your
old vine cut of the garden next winter,
train it up out of reach of cattle. chick
ems or boys and the thing is done. If
you have no good one, where it'now has
no chance to develop, buy half dozen
or more, the largest you can get, and of
the best kinds, give them this shelter
that they need, andthey will yield you
compound interest. The grape roots
will grow and find their own food about
farm buildings, (where it is not exces
sively wet), and they can generally find
abundance of it, even twenty or thirty
feet from where first planted, and the